


Come Again Bright Days

by Courty



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV 2020)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-17 03:07:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29960016
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Courty/pseuds/Courty
Summary: Julie and Luke haven’t spoken since they graduated from high school. But one night during their senior year of college, they find themselves in the exact same bar for the exact same reason: they were dragged there by their friends in an attempt to make them feel better after their respective break ups.Break ups that happened on the exact same day.Using the exact same words.But that’s just a coincidence.(Yeah, sure it is).After they have a chat and realize just how connected their situations are, they decide that the bar is no longer fun and take off on a tiny adventure that opens up a road to infinite possibilities.
Relationships: Julie Molina/Luke Patterson
Comments: 16
Kudos: 142





	Come Again Bright Days

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bex2313](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bex2313/gifts).



> Hey hey, fellow travelers! 
> 
> Please don’t kill me for posting a new story, but my new chapter of MaM has a scene that makes me sad, and I’ve been procrastinating writing it. But that’s done now, and we are back in business.
> 
> This fic is dedicated to my girl bex2313, who shares my views that Chattanooga, Tennessee is, in fact, the best city in the world. This fic is riddled with Chatt references, so if there are any other Chattanatives out there, give us a holla! (Also, with the exception of Mike’s Bar and the logging road in the the Prentice Cooper State Forest, all of the references I made are 100% real, so come visit us, we’d love to have you!)
> 
> This was supposed to be a short one shot based solely on the song “Alone Together” by Dan + Shay, but my fingers decided to keep moving and suddenly I had this 10,000+ pound bag of pure cotton candy on my hands. 
> 
> Whoopsie daisy. 
> 
> Last, but not least, my song references are as follows. Check ‘em out if you have a mind to! 
> 
> \- “It Is What It Is” by Lifehouse  
> \- “Alone Together” by Dan + Shay  
> \- “If You’re Still In, I’m In” by the East Pointers  
> \- “It is Well with My Soul” by Horatio Spaford
> 
> Let me know what you think! 
> 
> Stay well, stay safe, and love to you all! 
> 
> ~Courty

Part One: It Is What It Is

It wasn’t like Luke hadn’t seen the breakup coming. They’d been fighting a lot, and he couldn’t remember the last time they’d even kissed. But still, when Carrie told him, “I’ve reconnected with someone from the past and I really want to explore where it can go,” he had to admit, it stung. Knowing she wanted to break up because it wasn’t working out was one thing. Knowing she wanted to break up because she wanted to make it work with someone else? That was a whole other ballgame. 

“You’re serious?” he asked, not sure he’d heard her right. 

Carrie sighed. “Luke, you and I both know we’ve been growing apart for a long time.” 

“Yeah, but I didn’t realize it was because you were growing closer with another guy.” 

She shrugged, refusing to meet his eyes as she stood with her back to his front door. “I didn’t cheat on you. We haven’t taken it anywhere. But we want to, and it’s not fair to you to keep this going when we can both be happier apart.” 

He wanted to be mad, he really did. He wanted to yell at her about wasting his time and lying to his face and breaking his heart. But when he tried, he had to admit, there wasn’t much there. He was just tired. Tired of the arguing, tired of the crying, tired of trying so hard to fix a puzzle whose pieces never fit together in the first place. 

And the truth was, she hadn’t wasted much of his time. They’d started dating in December of their junior year at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and it was barely September of senior year now. They hadn’t even celebrated a birthday together; Luke’s was at the end of October and Carrie’s was in November. And it hadn’t all been spent in misery. Carrie was fun, she liked music, and she didn’t get too involved in all the drama on campus. He liked her. 

But he _just_ liked her. 

And she had lied by omission, but she was coming clean now, before either of them got in much deeper. Heck, they hadn’t even said “I love you” yet. And if Luke really thought about it, he didn’t think they ever would. Because they didn’t love each other. 

They _just_ liked each other. 

And as for breaking his heart? It was never hers to break. Carrie was never the one who could shatter him into a million pieces and leave him scattered across the floor. He’d never let himself fall in love with her. He’d never let himself fall in love with anyone. 

_Except…_

He shook his head. No sense going there. That ship sailed a long time ago and it was never coming back.

This was too much for a Tuesday afternoon. 

So he nodded and pulled her into a hug. “I hope you’re happy with him.” 

She squeezed him back and then pulled away a little to look in his eyes. “I was happy with you. I want you to know that.” 

He smiled down at her but it wasn’t anywhere near his full smile. “You were comfortable with me, Carrie. And I was comfortable with you. But were we ever truly happy?” 

She sighed and rested her forehead on his chest. “No. We weren’t.” She stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek. “I hope you find your happy, Luke.” Then she slipped from his arms and out the door without another word. 

Luke didn’t tell anyone what happened for a couple of days. He went to class, then just stayed in his apartment and tried to let the sadness push a new song out of him. But, no matter what he did, he just couldn’t seem to write anything. How pitiful was that? He didn’t feel enough about breaking up with his girlfriend to write even one line.

Finally, three days after Carrie left, he broke down and the music poured out like blood from an open wound. 

_I was only looking for the shortcut home  
But it’s complicated. So complicated.   
Somewhere in the city is a road I know  
Where we could make it  
But maybe there’s no making it now. _

_Too long we’ve been denying  
Now we’re both tired of trying   
We hit a wall and we can’t get over it.  
Nothing to relive,   
It’s water under the bridge   
You said it, I get it,   
I guess it is what it is._

Part Two: Alone Together

He called Bobby after that and told him the whole story. Bobby called Alex, Alex called Reggie, Reggie called Luke, and that’s how Luke finally ended up alone at a table in Mike’s Bar on a Friday night, chin resting on his folded arm as he peeled the label off of the unopened bottle of Jose Cuervo Reggie had plopped into his hands when they’d gotten to the bar two hours ago.

Alex and his not-boyfriend Willie were in the middle of the dance floor doing some kind of weird ‘80s style routine they’d put together that fit perfectly with “Shut Up and Dance” as it pounded through the speakers. Bobby was flirting with the cute girl behind the bar, and Reggie was… 

Luke glanced around the bar, searching for his friend’s signature red flannel. He spotted the back of it in a far corner- Wait, was Reg making out with someone? 

He definitely was, and Luke had to smile. All he could see of her was her long, dark hair looping around Reggie’s fingers as he pulled her closer, but that was okay. For all his bravado when flirting, Reggie was definitely the shyest out of the group when a girl expressed interest back. Knowing he’d found someone who gave him the confidence to kiss her not too long after meeting her gave Luke a warm rush for his friend. He was glad something good had come out of this “Let’s make Luke feel better” Friday night escapade. 

Because Luke was definitely _not_ feeling better. But that wasn’t his friends’ fault; he’d told them to go and have fun because he wasn’t going to be great company that night anyway. He figured he could have a good time watching them have a good time. At least that’s what he’d tell them when they went home that night. He turned back the label he’d half succeeded in getting off the bottle. 

“You sure I can’t get you something else, sweetheart?” Mike asked from behind the bar. “You haven’t taken a single swig from that since you got it.” 

“No, thanks Mike. I’m all right.” 

A familiar surge of nerves, one he hadn’t felt since high school, wiggled its way from Luke’s stomach all the way up his spine. He slowly turned toward the bar and saw a head of gorgeous curls that he would recognize anywhere. 

He hadn’t seen her much since high school. Sure, they were both music students at UTC, and they had a few classes together. But if he did see her outside of class, it was just a glimpse as she turned a corner or ducked into a practice room. He never let himself dwell on it when he saw her, especially after he and Carrie got together. It took him a long time to get over her when she started dating Nick right after they graduated, and thinking about her too much would have caused a backslide he didn’t think he could recover from. 

But from what he could tell, she was alone at the bar. She had her chin propped up on her hand and stared blankly at the bottle of Corona sitting in front of her. Next to the bottle was a bowl of sliced limes, and every few seconds, she would absently push a slice into the bottle and watch it sink through the golden liquid. 

Luke knew that look. It was the heavy curtain of resignation, the same one he’d been trying to erase in the mirror for the last few days. With a burst of courage he still questioned years later, he pushed away from his table and slid onto the stool next to her. 

“Julie?” 

She started and whipped toward him. “Luke,” she said, exhaling in relief. “You scared me.” 

He ducked his head and scratched the back of his neck. “Sorry.” He nodded toward the bottle of beer in front of her. “Not to be rude, but I’m pretty sure you’re only supposed to put one lime in those.” 

She looked at the bottle and shrugged. “Flynn shoved this at me when we got here and told me not to move until I finished it. So I haven’t moved.” 

The weighted, slow cadence in her voice physically hurt his heart. Julie had always been this vibrant sunbeam of a girl, completely unafraid of the curveballs life threw at her and ready to face any challenge head on. The girl in front of him now couldn’t even manage to swallow down one beer. 

He tilted his head a little closer to her so he could catch her eyes. “Rough day?” 

She shook her head. “Rough week. Nick and I broke up, and I’m honestly not sure what to do with myself now.” 

An unbidden blast of hope pierced Luke’s chest, but guilt immediately squashed it down. Julie was obviously hurting and him being an idiot was not going to make her feel any better about the whole situation. 

“Carrie and I split up this week too.” He didn’t know what made him say it. Maybe he wanted to let her know she wasn’t alone in her pain. Maybe he wanted to reassure himself he wasn’t alone too. “It’s kind of why we’re here.” 

Julie flicked her eyes to meet his. “I’m sorry to hear that. You two seemed really happy together.” 

There was that word again: happy. What did that even mean anyway? 

“It was time,” he said, scratching at a dried splatter of something on the bar top. “We never truly…” He searched for the right word. “Clicked, I guess.” 

Julie nodded, but stayed silent. They didn’t speak for a long time, then she startled him by saying, “I thought he was going to propose.” 

Oh crap. He didn’t want to ask, but he couldn’t seem to stop the words from forming on his tongue. “What made you think that?” 

Tears sprang to her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. 

Stupid. Stupid, stupid, _stupid_. “Julie, you don’t have to-”

She drew in a deep breath and composed herself. “He’d been acting weird for a couple of weeks. Secret phone calls, mysterious trips to town…” She blew a strand of hair out of her face. “I found a Kay Jewelers bag hiding in his car last week and put the pieces together. I thought, anyway.” She rubbed at her eyes. “He called and invited me to dinner at Hennen’s on Tuesday and I thought ‘This is it! This is the day forever starts!’” 

“Hennen’s?” Luke scoffed. “He took you to freaking Hennen’s to break up with you? Please tell me you at least got the most expensive item on the menu _and_ dessert out of it.” 

She shook her head and rolled her eyes. “No, I definitely went with the eleven dollar house burger. I knew he had about as much money as the rest of us poor college students, and I thought he’d just bought an engagement ring. Now I wish I’d gone for the filet mignon oscar with the baby back ribs appetizer. There’s forty-eight dollars he wouldn’t have gotten back.” She gave a small, bitter smile. “We ate and he said something stupid about reconnecting with someone from the past and wanting to explore that more and how we’d been-”

“-growing apart for a long time,” Luke finished for her, his voice flat as his brain tried to catch up with the words. 

Julie’s eyes cut to his like razors. “How did you know that?” 

“Carrie said the same thing to me. On Tuesday.” His insides felt like they’d been through a tornado, picked up, thrown around, and flung back to random places they didn’t belong. He held Julie’s gaze. “You don’t think…” 

She reached into her back pocket and pulled out her phone. “Actually, that’s exactly what I think,” she snapped, opening up her Instagram. 

They’d all gone to the same high school, and going to UTC was basically thirteenth through sixteenth grades for all of them. Carrie and Nick being the other’s reconnection from the past? Not outside of the realm of possibility. 

Julie barked another bitter laugh. “‘True love conquers all,’” she said, twisting her phone so Luke could see the picture on the screen. Sure enough, a selfie of Carrie smiled back at him, Nick’s lips pressed against her cheek as she sat in his lap, wrapped securely in his arms. 

Julie pointed at Carrie’s neck. “And there’s what was in the Kay Jewelers bag.” A gold necklace Luke had never seen before glinted in the setting sunlight, the charm a capital ‘C’ hooked through the downward point of a capital ‘N.’ 

Luke narrowed his eyes. “Did he say he didn’t cheat on you?” 

“Yeah.” Julie closed Instagram and put her phone away. “I’m guessing Carrie said the same thing. I don’t know about you, but I feel pretty cheated on.” 

“Me too.” 

After another long silence, Julie drew in a slow breath, then gave a slight wince. “This may make me a horrible person, but… Is it weird that I don’t really care?” 

Luke couldn’t stop the laugh that bubbled up in his throat. It started as a small chuckle, then quickly grew into a deep belly laugh that he was having a hard time controlling. Pretty soon, Julie joined him, laughing at the top of her lungs until streams of tears poured from both their eyes. People were shooting them funny looks, but they didn’t care at all. 

“Wow, I haven’t laughed like that in ages,” Luke gasped, pressing the palm of his hand into his eye to staunch the tears and hopefully get himself under control. 

“Me either,” Julie said, squeezing her aching sides. “Oh, man, I needed that.”

Luke gave a few more quiet laughs, then leveled a soft smile at Julie. “For what it’s worth, no, I don’t think you’re a horrible person for not caring. I don’t really care either. And I don’t think we should. Anyone willing to cheat isn’t worth the time and effort it takes to stress about them.” 

She smiled back. “Thanks, Luke.” She held up her full Corona bottle. “To our newfound indifference to our cheating exes.” 

“Here here,” Luke said, tapping his still unopened bottle of Jose Cuervo against hers. Neither of them took a drink after the toast. 

“So,” Julie continued, glancing around the bar. “You said ‘we’ are here. I’m assuming that’s Reg, Alex, and Bobby?” 

“And Willie,” Luke said. “They dragged me out here to try and cheer me up.” 

“And then left you by yourself?” 

Luke smirked. “I don’t see Flynn dropping solidarity limes in a solidarity Corona next to you, either.” 

“Touché,” Julie said with a shrug. “Should we try and find them? You know, sort of a live-action ‘Where’s Waldo’ to pass the time?”

Luke pointed down the bar. “Bobby’s having a surprising amount of success flirting with the pretty bartender down there, Alex and Willie are killing it on the dance floor, and Reggie is-”

“In the corner,” Julie said. 

Luke didn’t even have to look. “Yup.” 

“Making out.” 

“He is.” 

“With Flynn.” 

“You’re cor- What?” Luke whipped around and, sure enough, Reggie was the one pressed against the wall with Flynn’s hands all over his face and shoulders. 

That didn’t make any sense. The one girl Reggie could talk to with no problems in high school was Flynn, and that was because he absolutely hated her. They’d actually spent ninth grade nursing a slight crush on each other, and even went on a date sophomore year. Reggie had had a bad reaction to some medicine he’d taken to stop a cold he could feel coming on, and they wound up in Flynn’s next door neighbor’s backyard wearing prom dresses and covered in fire ants. They never told anyone how that happened, and they never forgave each other. Flynn decided right then and there that Reggie was an immature man-child who needed to use more than one brain cell at a time, and he thought she was an uptight witch who needed to get her broomstick out of her butt. 

Yet there they were, barely coming up for air, tangled together as if they’d always been like that. 

“Do you think they know they’re making out with each other?” Julie asked, tilting her head. 

Luke shrugged. “They’ll figure it out eventually.” 

“I guess so.” 

He couldn’t stand it anymore. “Julie, do you want to get out of here?” 

Her gaze flew to his with an eagerness he was not expecting. “What do you mean?” 

He held up his bottle of tequila and wrinkled his nose. “I’ve never had a taste for booze, and I’m tired of sitting in here alone. Our friends are having a ball, so I was thinking, since we’re both alone, why don’t we go somewhere and be alone together?” 

Julie raised a skeptical eyebrow. “What did you have in mind?” 

Hearing her tone, he held up his hands. “Not _alone_ together. Alone _together_ ,” he said quickly. “Steak ‘n Shake is open all night, and a milkshake and fries sound way better than beer or tequila.” He stood and held out his hand. “What do you say?” 

The pregnant pause between them as Julie stared at his outstretched hand nearly squashed any courage he had left. But, just as he was about to give up, Julie placed her hand in his and allowed him to guide her off of her barstool. “A milkshake sounds like exactly what I need right now.” 

Luke grinned. “Fantastic.” He pulled her toward the dance floor. “Let’s go find Alex and make sure at least one person will be sober enough later tonight to get everyone home.” 

Alex and Willie were, once again, in the middle of some odd homemade routine when Luke and Julie approached. 

Willie twirled Alex away from him and right into Luke. “Luke!” the blond yelped, not expecting his friend but happy to see him nonetheless. “You decided to join us, I see. Goody!” He threw his arms around Luke and giggled in his ear. “Oh, and you brought a friend!” Alex blinked a few times and then got almost right in Julie’s face. “Wait, _Julie_? Girl, long time no see!” He yanked Julie onto the dance floor with him and proceeded to stomp right on her toe.

Luke turned to Willie and pointed at Alex. “Explain?” 

The smile on Willie’s face was full of exasperated fondness. “Bobby bet him twenty bucks he wouldn’t down a Jagerbomb.” 

Luke blanched. “Jager?” 

Willie shrugged. “Alex won.” 

“I can see that.” 

The amount of alcohol Alex could consume before becoming a complete mess was barely enough to make a mouse sneeze. A Jagerbomb would have him flat on his face before the night was out, which put him squarely on the “cannot be the DD” list. Reggie wasn’t exactly Mr. Dry County either, judging from how he was _still_ making out with a girl he was supposed to hate. And Luke had watched Bobby down several fruity things with umbrellas from the bartender he was chatting up, so that was a no-go too.

Luke turned to his last hope: Willie. “Please tell me you weren’t planning on getting plastered tonight.” 

Willie raised an eyebrow. “I wasn’t. I have a competition tomorrow, and boarding with a hangover is no bueno. Why?” He cast a narrow-eyed look at Julie as she tried to pull away from Alex, and his lip curled into a smirk. “Nevermind, I see. You and Julie taking off?” 

“Just to get milkshakes. The bar scene really isn’t either of our style, and I think we’re both kind of tired of being the main characters in the ‘Everybody’s Got Somebody but Me’ music video.” He shrugged. “It’s no big deal.” 

“Mmhm,” Willie hummed. “Try that lie again when you actually believe it, Luke. Don’t worry, I’ll get everyone home.” 

Julie finally managed to coax Alex back over to Luke and Willie and handed him off to Willie. She pointed at the corner Reggie and Flynn had claimed. “Can you get my friend Flynn out of here too? We live in 208 at the off campus Oak Street complex. Tell her I said I found some trouble to get into and she’ll know you’re there on my behalf.” 

Luke tilted his head at her confused. “‘Found some trouble?’” 

Julie just shook her head. “Don’t ask.” 

A heavy arm landed on Luke’s shoulders, and he turned to see Alex leaning against him in a dopey hug. “Luke, I just love you. I know I’ve been spending a _lot_ of time with Willie lately - and he’s still _not_ my boyfriend-” 

“Yet,” Willie smirked. 

“-but I want you to know that you and Reggie and Bobby are still my best friends and it’s bros before-”

“And, I think I’m going to give you back to Willie,” Luke said, slipping out from under Alex’s arm and handing him off to Willie once again. “And I love you too, man.” 

Alex turned his attention back to Julie. “I love you too, Julie! Don’t let it be five-ever before we see you again, 'kay? I have so much love to give everyone right now, including you, and I am wearing too many clothes.” He stopped and turned away, heading toward the wall, pulling at his jacket. 

Willie’s eyes met Luke’s in wide-eyed panic. “I’ll take care of that. You two go have fun; I’ll get everyone home in one piece one way or another. And I’ll make sure everyone gets plenty of water.” He held up two fingers in a mock salute. “Scout’s honor.” Then he took off after Alex, yelling something about not getting the cops involved. 

Julie and Luke stood dazed in the middle of the dance floor for a long moment. “Um…” Julie began. 

“Jager and money were involved. Let’s just move on.” 

Luke pulled his keys out of his pocket and started walking toward the door. He almost tripped over his own shoes when he felt Julie’s hand slip into his again, her tiny fingers lacing between his. He had to take a deep breath to keep his heart from pounding out of his chest when he noticed how perfectly her hand fit into his. 

Part 3: If You’re Still In, I’m In

They finally made their way through the crowd and slipped into Luke’s old blue F-150. 

Julie gave a long exhale as she strapped herself in and leaned back against the seat. “Is it weird that I finally feel like I can breathe again?” 

Luke shook his head as they pulled out of the parking lot. “No, I know what you mean. It was suffocating in there.” 

“All those happy couples running around were about to make me ill.” 

“And if I smelled one more spilled drink-”

They both burst into another fit of loud laughter. 

“Oh, man, we really need something sugary and bad for us to end all this cynicism,” Julie said, wiping at her eyes. 

“No kidding. Shakes and fries, here we come.” 

Leaving downtown Chattanooga was like entering another world. Ten o’clock on a Friday night was when life was just getting started there, but in the northern, more suburban parts of the city, everything was winding down. There were fewer cars on the roads, less people out and about, and less noise. By the time they hit Gunbarrel Road, Julie and Luke hadn’t passed another car in about ten minutes.

They pulled through the Steak ‘n Shake drive thru and got the biggest milkshakes and the biggest fries they had. 

“Where to now?” Luke asked around a mouthful of mint chocolate chip. 

Julie shrugged. “I didn’t have any plans past this.” 

Any hope he’d allowed to build up sank at those words. “Do you want me to take you home?” 

She shook her head. “No. Absolutely, one hundred percent, ardently, no.” 

Unexpected. Very much desired, but unexpected nonetheless. “Okay, then.” He shrugged. “Don’t have to go home but we can’t stay here.” An idea, one he would never have been brave enough to suggest if she hadn’t already agreed to milkshakes, formed in his head. 

He’d already jumped once and landed on his feet. The worst he could do this time is hit the ground. 

“Julie, do you trust me?” 

She smirked. “Someone watched Aladdin recently, I see.” 

“That is completely irrelevant.” It was also true, but it wasn’t his fault Jasmine was hot, animated or live action. 

Julie giggled into her Nutella milkshake, and Luke almost forgot what he was saying. He tried to convince himself that he’d forgotten how beautiful Julie was, but the fact of the matter was not a day went by that he didn’t think about her at least once. And she’d only become more beautiful since they’d gone their separate ways. 

Focus, man.

“I’m serious,” he whispered, holding his hand out. “Do you trust me?” 

Her smile melted into a look of serious consideration. Her eyes wandered to his offered hand, then back up. Then her fingers slotted between his again. “I do.” 

His heart soared with hesitant hope. “Really?” 

She rolled her eyes. “Of course, you dumbo. I’ve known you since we were kids, and the guys would have told me if you’d become some kind of psychotic serial killer in the last three years.” 

Luke paused. “Do you spend a lot of time talking about me with my friends?” 

The playful edge in her features softened. “I check up on you every once in a while. Just to make sure you’re alright.” 

A coil of guilt wormed its way into his stomach. “Julie, I-” 

She squeezed his hand. “Don’t. We’re here now. That’s what matters.” 

He nodded once, then pulled out of the Steak ‘n Shake parking lot and hit the interstate. 

“Where are we going?” Julie asked after a few minutes, her hand still firmly clasped in his. 

“You said you trusted me.” 

“And I do. But we’re heading back toward school and I told you I don’t want to go home yet.” 

“And you’re not.” Luke grinned. “We’re gonna be on the road for a while. Want to pick the music?” 

Julie lit up. Luke was glad to see some things hadn’t changed. “Actually, are you guys on Spotify? I’ve been dying to hear your band, but…” She trailed off for a moment. 

“But…” 

Her hand squeezed his. “I could never work up the courage to go to one of your shows. Especially not with Carrie there.”

He was quiet for a moment, then shrugged. “I could never work up the courage to invite you _and_ Nick, so no harm.” He let go of her hand and pointed to the floor at her feet. “My CD case is down there.” 

She bent down and pulled the frayed case into her lap. “CD case? What are you, thirty?” 

“Hey, do not knock the compact disc in this truck. Other than live, there is no purer musical experience than that of the CD.” 

Julie laughed and shook her head. “Luke Patterson, what am I going to do with you.” 

He almost said, “Whatever you want.” Almost. But thankfully the tiny, slightly malfunctioning filter in his brain decided to kick in and yell “Abort, abort, abort!” and he said, “Sing!” instead. 

“How am I supposed to sing with you when I don’t know any of your songs?” 

“The insert is in the sleeve with the CD.” He flipped on her interior light. “There, now you can follow along just fine.” 

“You do know you’re not really supposed to drive with interior lights on, right?” 

Luke just shrugged. “I haven’t died yet.” 

They spent the hour-long drive singing Sunset Curve’s songs at the top of their lungs, and each time Julie harmonized with the track, Luke couldn’t help but think of all the half finished songs in his journal that would be complete with her voice. 

He had to get Julie singing with them. 

“Luke, y’all are amazing!” Julie gushed, punching him playfully in the arm. “I’m kind of ticked at you now for not inviting me to your shows earlier!” 

“Ow! I’m sorry! We’re playing at JJ’s Bohemia next Saturday. Come see us.” 

“I will.” She finally checked the clock and looked out the window. “Luke, it’s almost midnight. Where in the world are you taking me? You pulled off the interstate a long time ago.” She raised a suspicious eyebrow. “ _Are_ you some psychotic serial killer now?” She narrowed her eyes. “I’ve seen this movie before. This is where I serve as the initial murder in your string of killings that eventually sparks the investigation that puts you behind bars, isn’t it?” 

“Oh, my gosh,” Luke groaned, “are you _still_ watching those crappy Lifetime movies? I told you years ago those were going to do nothing but make you paranoid.” He stared at the road in front of them, his headlights the only lights in sight. “Besides, you wouldn’t be the initial murder. You’d be my ultimate target, that last girl who’s been helping the police investigate me and then fights me off until you finally end my reign of terror permanently. True, biblical level justice.”

“Is it strange that I’m taking that as a compliment?” 

Yeah. It was. But then again, that entire conversation derailed very fast, so Luke just shrugged it off. “Hey, you’re the survivor. Take a victory where you can.” 

Julie giggled and leaned her head against the seat. “Oh man, I almost forgot about this.” 

“What?” 

She ran a hand through her curls. “How easy it is with you.” She reached for his hand again and traced gentle circles on the sensitive flesh between his thumb and forefinger. 

“How easy what is?” He was stupid for asking, but he suddenly needed to know exactly what she meant. 

She smiled out the window and shook her head. “Everything.” 

A heavy silence fell between them as they took turns tracing their fingers up and down the inside of the other’s hand. Every time Julie’s nails grazed the top of his palm, Luke nearly bit his tongue in half to suppress a shudder. 

What was happening?

Finally, Julie let go of his hand and broke the tension. As much as Luke never wanted to let her go, he was glad for some distance. He’d forgotten to breathe almost the whole time their fingers had danced across one another. “Where are we?” 

“We’re in Prentice Cooper State Forest. I’m taking you to my favorite spot in the entire world.” He glanced at her, then back at the road. “If you still trust me, that is.” 

She eyed him, then sighed. “All right. How long are we going to be out here?” 

Here it came. The moment that would make or break tonight. 

_Now or never._

“I was thinking we could make a night of it and watch the sunrise.” 

She gasped and whirled on him, her eyes boring so deeply into him he could feel it. “You… You remember?” 

He met her eyes for a moment, and he could tell she felt the weight behind his gaze just as much as he could. “Did you honestly think I could ever forget that?”

Not _would_ forget. Could. Because no matter what had or would happen between them, he could never forget. He’d known it then, just like he knew it now, even after years of denying it. No matter who came along or what tore them apart or brought them back together, the memory of that night was burned into his mind and heart like a brand, marking him as Julie’s forever.

***

Luke was in his room right after a fight with his mom about his grades. “If you can’t keep them up, no more guitar,” she’d said. That was the deal. He knew that was the deal. But stats was hard, and besides, it wasn't like he was failing. He had a B-. Sure, it was _barely_ a B-, but so what? "Cs got degrees," that's what his dad always said. 

But Luke didn't get Cs. Luke rarely ever got Bs. He'd proven he could get As, and that was what his mom expected of him.

Stupid work ethic. 

This could be solved if he got a tutor. But he didn’t want to get a tutor because it would interfere with guitar. 

He knew he was being an unreasonable brat about the whole thing. A tutor would take up less time than getting his guitar taken away altogether would, but he was sixteen and hated being wrong. Eventually he’d go back to his mom and apologize and tell her she was right. Then he’d email his stats teacher and ask who he should ask to tutor him for the foreseeable future. But right now, he just wanted to be mad. So he sat and sulked. 

Then his phone buzzed. Julie’s name popped up in the text.

_My dad was in an accident. Mom and Tia went to the hospital, but I’m at home with Carlos. I’m scared, Luke. Can you please come over?_

He didn’t hesitate.

_On my way._

He ran down the stairs and told his parents. Mitch immediately called Rose, and Emily handed him the leftover chicken and eggplant parmesan from their dinner. “In case they need something tomorrow.” 

He pulled his mom into a hug. He may have been upset with her, but Luke would be forever grateful Emily was his mom. 

Mitch hung up and pulled his son to him as well. “Rose knows you’re going over there, and I let her know that your mom and I will take care of things here.” He pushed Luke away but held onto his arms so he could look into his eyes. “We’re leaving our phones on tonight, so if you need anything, don’t hesitate to call us.”

Luke nodded and took off down the street. The Molinas only lived three houses down, and he could make his way there blindfolded. 

Julie yanked the door open before he’d finished knocking. She opened her mouth to speak, but immediately burst into tears. 

Luke set the casserole dish on the front porch and wrapped Julie in a hug. “Shh. It’s going to be alright,” he said, running his hand over her hair. 

“He’s still unconscious,” she sobbed, clutching at the back of his t-shirt. “He hasn’t woken up yet, and they don’t know if he will.” 

Oh, crap. Luke clutched her closer to him, fighting back his own tears. He’d come to love the Molinas like his second family, and the thought that he may never get to hear one of Ray’s stupid photography jokes again tore through his chest until he could barely breathe. 

No. No, this wasn’t about him. He had to be strong. 

He pressed a feather light kiss to Julie’s head, then gently pushed her back to meet her red, glassy eyes. “Where’s Carlos?” 

Julie sniffed and scrubbed her fingers across her eyes. “He’s asleep. He’d already gone to bed when Mom got the call, and she didn’t want to wake him up.” A fresh wave of sobs wracked her small body and she curled in on herself. “Luke, what if I never get to tell my dad I love him again?” 

Luke ducked his head to catch her gaze again. “Hey. You will. We have to have faith. Your dad’s strong, and he loves you and your mom and your brother more than air. He’s going to fight like hell to pull through, Jules, I know that without a doubt.” 

She threw her arms around him and buried her face in the crook of his neck, her sobs soaking the shoulder of his shirt. He didn’t care. As long as Julie needed him, he would be there. 

After a few minutes, he finally coaxed her to let him in the house and close the door before every mosquito in Chattanooga found their way into her living room. He grabbed the food his mom sent and slid it into her fridge as Julie sat at the kitchen table, tracing the grain of the wood with her finger. 

Luke had never been good with emotions. He wasn’t sure what to do or say when someone was crying, and he hated that when he did finally figure out something to say, it always came out wrong. He’d been accused numerous times of not caring about someone else’s pain when he encouraged them to believe that everything that happened was working for good. 

But here, in the quiet, with no one but Julie, he knew immediately what to do. 

He held out his hand to her and drew her to him when she took it. “Come on.” 

Julie sniffed. “Where are we going?” 

“Trust me.” 

He led her to the stairs and pulled her up and into her parents’ room. He let go of her hand and walked to the window, pushing it open and climbing out. He held out his hand again. “Join me for stargazing?” 

Julie couldn’t say no to stargazing, especially from the roof. Luke’s chest warmed as something new blossomed there. Something he didn’t have a name for yet.

They lay on the roof, fingers laced together, gazing up at the star-soaked sky for hours. Julie checked her phone every once in a while, but other than that, they just lay in the quiet and listened to the sounds of the September night. 

Finally, Julie began to sing. 

_When peace, like a river  
Attendeth my way.   
When sorrows like sea billows roll,   
Whatever my lot,   
Thou hast taught me to say,  
It is well, it is well, with my soul._

Everything around him slowed to a stop. He’d heard Julie sing before. They’d been in music classes together for years. But tonight she held nothing back. In her voice Luke heard all the pain, sadness, and fear that came with the unknown. She didn’t know what would happen to her dad, and there was nothing she could do. But one feeling soared so high above the others that Luke’s heart almost burst from his chest: hope. She sent the song to heaven as a prayer, knowing that no matter what happened, things would be okay. She believed that, deep down to her bones, just like he did. 

As her final note echoed through the air, the sun broke across the horizon like a promise, and Luke knew in that moment that the Luke who’d climbed on that roof hours before was gone. He would never be the same. 

“Wow.” Julie’s words, barely a breath, shattered his awe and snapped him back to the present. She sat up and stared at the sunrise, new tears slipping down her cheek like diamonds. “It’s so beautiful.” 

Luke sat up with her and draped an arm over her shoulders and watched the sky burn with different shades of pink, yellow, and orange as the world met a new day. The morning wind blew through his hair, and each cell in his body joined together in a chorus that he never wanted to end. “Yeah,” he agreed. 

_Just like you._

Julie turned to him, and when he met her gaze, their noses brushed, sending a shock wave of joy coursing through his body. 

A tiny gasp escaped Julie’s lips, and she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. Then she pressed her forehead to his and sighed. “Thank you for coming.” 

He smiled. “I’ll always come for you, Julie. All you have to do is call.” 

She opened her eyes and held his gaze, searching. For what, he had no clue, but he did his best to let her see every part of him she could in that moment. 

“Luke,” she whispered, leaning ever so gently forward. 

Like a magnet, Luke was drawn down to her as well. The weight of the moment fell over them like a blanket, each second ticking them closer and closer to the edge of something new. Something exciting. 

Something great. 

Just as his top lip brushed hers, the first bright notes of “I’m Every Woman” pierced the air. 

They sprang apart so quickly Luke almost slid off the roof. Julie pulled him to a stop, then yanked her phone out of her pocket. “Mom?” 

She paused for a moment, listening to her mother, a slow smile creeping across her lips. More tears, these of pure joy, trailed down her cheeks. “Are you serious?” 

Another pause, but Luke knew beyond a doubt that Ray was going to be just fine. 

“Okay. I’ll ask Luke’s parents if they’ll bring Carlos and me to the hospital. I love you too.” Her eyebrows ticked up. “Oh, okay.” She held the phone out to Luke. “Mama wants to talk to you.” 

Luke took the phone and held it to his ear. “Rose?” 

“Luke, _mijo_ , thank you so much for staying with Julie and Carlos. Ray’s awake and the doctors say he’s going to be just fine.” She sobbed, but Luke could hear the laugh behind it. “Thank you for always being there for my baby girl. We all love you so much.” 

“I love all of you too,” he said quietly, not trusting himself to keep from crying. 

“Okay. We’ll see you soon.” 

He said good bye and hung up. Julie threw her arms around him again and squeezed him to her. “Thank you. Thank you so much.” 

They called his parents and, after waking Carlos up, made their way to the hospital. The Pattersons waited with the Molinas, Julie clutching Luke’s hand the entire time. Finally, a doctor came and told them that Ray was ready for visitors. 

Julie and Rose went first. Before they walked back, Julie turned and pulled Luke into one last bone-crushing hug. “I will never forget last night,” she whispered, slipping her lips against his cheek in a gentle kiss. 

“Neither will I.” He couldn’t. 

Emily and Mitch let Luke stay home from school that day and get some sleep. When he finally collapsed into his bed later that morning, only one thought filled his mind. 

Out on that roof, in the bright glow of dawn, he’d fallen completely in love with Julie Molina. The music in her heart was the perfect harmony to his, and as he drifted off to sleep, he knew beyond a doubt that until the day he died, his soul would be permanently entwined with hers. 

***

They didn’t talk for a long time, both lost in memories as painful as they were wonderful. Finally, Luke hit the brakes and turned his truck around, backing up to a high cliff. 

“This is it,” Luke said, hopping out of the truck. 

“Where are we now?” Julie asked, following him around to the back of the truck. 

He pointed toward their right. “About a hundred yards that way is Snoopers Rock, the best spot to watch the sunrise in the Tennessee River Gorge. But you have to hike from a parking lot to get there, and I didn’t feel like taking a three-mile hike at-” He checked his phone “-one in the morning.” 

Julie raised an eyebrow. “And so we are where, exactly?”

“We’re on an old logging road I found while I was exploring up here one time. No one uses it anymore, and it leads right to an overlook that gets the same view as Snoopers Rock.” He smiled and walked around to the back of his truck. A camper shell covered the truck bed, and he popped the back window and the tailgate open. “We can watch the sunrise from in here.” 

Julie followed him and blanched. “Luke, are you serious right now?” 

“What?” He followed her gaze and… 

“Oh.” 

A thick twin mattress filled the entire bed, and several fluffy blankets and soft pillows were thrown in different places, unmoved from the last time he’d driven out to the forest. 

It one hundred and fifty percent looked like Luke was trying to seduce Julie in a truck he'd used to seduce other girls in the past. 

Heat blazed across Luke’s cheeks and down his spine. Was a full-body blush actually possible? Because right now, every patch of skin burned, and all he wanted was to jump off the overlook. 

He could panic right now. He could freak out and fall to his knees and beg for Julie’s forgiveness. Or, he could explain the truth behind the makeshift bedroom he’d set up in the bed of his truck and hope that would be enough. 

Door number two, please and thank you. 

“I promise, this is not what it looks like.” 

Julie crossed her arms, still not totally convinced. “Is this going to be one of those ‘guy gets in girl’s pants as a joke and only falls for her after she finds out’ kind of Lifetime movies instead?”

“I literally just said this is _not_ what it looks like, and for the last time, this isn’t a Lifetime movie!” Luke gestured toward the truck bed. “Sometimes I come out here to think and I don’t want to drive back to school or back home. So, I made this little spot so I could crash wherever I needed to and not have to worry about setting up a tent or anything like that. It’s all perfectly innocent, I swear.” Something Julie said finally clicked in his brain. “Wait… Do you want me to fall for you?” 

Because they were already way past that point. 

Julie rolled her eyes and pushed him out of her way as she climbed in. “In your dreams, Patterson.” 

He chuckled as he followed her. They kicked off their shoes and slid them into the small space between one side of the mattress and the truck bed wall, then settled back against the back of the cab and gazed out at the sky. 

“Man, I love it up here,” Luke said, his voice low and wistful. 

Julie nodded. “Think you’ll ever want to go somewhere else?” 

Luke shook his head. “Music is more important in Tennessee than in any other state in the country, and Chattanooga’s an hour and a half south of the literal Music City.” He flicked a glance at her and smiled. “Sunset Curve is the dream. Where else would we need to be other than here?” 

“Very true. And with stuff like Riverbend and Moon River Festival, you’ll have no shortage of big name artists who can give you a push in the right direction.” 

“See, a musical genius like you understands us completely.” He nearly asked her if she wanted to be part of the dream. He wanted her in his band, that went without saying, but it wasn’t just about the band anymore. It was about him too. 

“‘Musical genius?’” 

He ran a hand through his hair. “Do you have a title you prefer? Queen of the Keys? Empress of Sound? Tsarina of-”

She slapped his shoulder. “Okay, please stop, I’m going to gag.” 

They laughed and settled into a comfortable silence, listening to the crickets and cicadas buzz around them. An owl hooted in the trees, and Luke could still see lightning bugs dancing in the shadows. There wasn’t a spot on the planet as beautiful and peaceful as this one. 

“So…” Julie sounded nervous. More nervous than she’d sounded all night. 

Luke nudged her shoulder with his. “Julie, I did not bring you out here to try anything, I swear.” 

“No, I know. But…” She swallowed. “Did you ever bring anyone else out here?” 

Ah. He didn’t need Google Translate to understand what that meant. “No. I never brought Carrie out here. Or anyone else, for that matter. I’ve never even told the guys about this spot.” He shouldn’t say it. He really shouldn’t. But once again, his mouth decided to speak before his brain gave it permission. “You’re the only person I would ever want to share this with.” 

Julie was quiet for a long time. Then she pulled on his arm and ducked under it, tucking herself deep into his side. “Does it make me a horrible person if I’m glad about that?” 

Luke wrapped his arm fully around her and shook his head. “Julie, you could never be a horrible person. You’re far too kind for that.” 

Her face fell. “No, I’m not.” 

Luke’s reflex was to protest; Julie Molina was the kindest person he knew. Period, no questions. But the look on her face stopped whatever tirade he was about to start. “Why do you say that?” 

Julie drew in a deep breath and leaned her head against his shoulder. “I’ve said some pretty mean things about Carrie over the last few months. And she didn’t deserve any of it." She looked down at her hands as they twisted around each other in a guilty dance. 

"Julie. Carrie, my ex-girlfriend, is currently somewhere wrapped completely around Nick, your ex-boyfriend, three days after they dumped us. Somehow, I don't think anything you said about her is unfair at this point." 

Julie made a "you have a point" face, but still wouldn't meet his eyes. "I've said some pretty mean things about you, too. How are you planning to justify that?" 

Ouch. That definitely stung. But… 

"Again, whatever you said was probably fair." He was big enough to admit that. 

Julie pulled away from him and turned so she was facing him. "Luke, what happened to us? We were so close when we were kids, and then we just… Weren't." She shook her head in confusion. "After that morning on the roof I thought we were going somewhere, but then nothing ever happened. And I never understood why." 

An old ache crept to the surface of Luke's heart, one full of bitterness and anger and guilt, all aimed at himself. They'd drifted apart because of him, plain and simple. And Julie more than deserved to know the truth. 

"Julie, I fell in love with you that morning on the roof." If they were jumping, he was going in with both feet. 

She gasped. "What?" 

He nodded. "I'd always had a bit of a crush on you, but after I heard you sing 'It Is Well,' and I knew that you believed in everything working for a reason as much as I did, it was like the floodgates opened, and we were singing the same song." He looked away. This sounded so dumb, but he had no other way to describe it. "And then, when we almost kissed, I knew that my heart would always belong to you." He curled his fists around one of the blankets and squeezed. "But I was sixteen, and I know we all think we know everything then, but we don't. I was so excited about how I felt, but I was also terrified, and you had to focus on your dad's recovery so we never talked about the almost kiss, and time kept on passing by, and then freaking _Nick_ asked you out, and I knew he hated me for some reason I never found out, but you asked what I thought, and I didn't know how to tell you -" 

Julie put a hand on his shoulder. "Luke, stop."

He raised his eyes to hers. She looked like a storm gathering on the horizon, and he didn't know if he was getting ready to drink or drown. 

She shifted to her knees and took his face in her hands, searching. "You were in love with me?" Her voice was raw, and shaky, and so vulnerable it nearly broke his heart. 

He swallowed. "Julie, I never stopped loving you." He leaned into her palm. "I tried my best to forget about you after you started dating Nick. It hurt like hell, but I managed to get to a place where I could see you in class and not immediately want to cry." He sighed. "Then Carrie came along, and I tried to fall in love with her. I really did. I think I almost made it one night after we'd gone to a concert or something. I was driving her home, and thinking about the future, and I could just barely see her in it." He grinned. "But then 'I'm Every Woman' started playing on the radio and…" 

Julie snickered and bit her lip. "You just abandoned all hope?" 

"Pretty much." 

Julie smiled and pressed her forehead to his. "I think I did manage to fall in love with Nick," she whispered, brushing her nose against his. "But it never felt quite right. Nick was the safe bet. He wants to be a lawyer, and he's pretty good at it already. He got a full ride to Yale law school in the fall." 

She pulled away and ran her thumbs along the apples of Luke's cheeks. "But I can admit now that I was never really me around him. He was a serious law student who needed a serious girlfriend, so I dressed the part. Subdued colors, everything matches, everything fits perfectly, no mess." 

Luke followed her gaze down to her paint splattered jean shorts and loose purple East Pointers tank top. "Luke, I've never felt more alive with another person that I did when I was with you. Everything about you screams for adventure and fun and hope, and I realize now I've been screaming back for years. I just didn't realize that's what I've always wanted until now." 

Luke laughed and mirrored her cupping her face in his hands. "You're finally Julie again." The smile melted from his lips as he realized what his next words would be. "My Julie?"

She curled her arms around his neck and relaxed against him as he wrapped his around her waist. "Your Julie," she whispered against his ear. 

"Your Luke," he whispered back. "If that's what you still want."

She leaned away just enough to look at him and shot him a coy smile. "Why don't you finish what you started that night on the roof and find out." 

No. Freaking. Way. "You're sure?"

"Luke, if you're not kissing me in the next five seconds-"

That was all he needed. 

Without another word, he leaned in and slid his lips against hers in a kiss that practically exploded against the back of his eyelids. Julie's fingers danced through his hair as she kissed him back, pressing into him with a gentle hunger that he didn't know could exist in such a magnificent union. 

Luke found himself hopelessly lost, surrounded by nothing but the night and Julie, the girl with the song, finally in his arms, his heart at home with hers at last. 

Almost by accident his tongue slipped against hers, and Julie's breath caught in a shaky gasp that nearly made him feral. She snatched the front of his shirt and pulled him down as she collapsed onto her back, his chest pressed firmly against hers. 

It would be so easy to make love to her right now. They were alone in the world as far as he was concerned, and he wanted her to know exactly how much she meant to him. His lips grazed across her cheek, past her ear and down the smooth skin of her throat, careful not to leave any mark. He’d never thought of a woman as property, and Julie especially was too wild to be owned. He would never, ever try as long as he lived.

A clear vision of the future burst into his thoughts as he ran his hand up her side. Julie, singing with him on a stage in front of thousands of people, their eyes never straying from each other's for more than a moment; Julie, sandwiched between Alex, Reggie, and her brother Carlos as they played against Luke, Bobby, Flynn, and Willie in a truly cutthroat game of Codenames; Julie, walking toward him in a white dress, clutching Ray's arm as happy tears welled in her eyes; Julie, messy-haired and sleepy-eyed, waking up in their bed, her silver wedding ring glimmering in the morning sunshine, the gentle swell of her belly proof that their love had created a brand new life. 

Luke had always wanted a forever, but he'd never seen it with such clarity. 

And he knew without any hesitation that he wanted _that_ forever. 

He couldn't mess it up now.

He released her lips and gasped, "Julie, um-" 

"Luke, we can't-" Julie started at the same time, sliding her hands between them. 

They looked at each other for a moment and burst into another fit of giggles. 

"Too fast?" Julie asked, biting her lip again. 

"Way too fast," Luke agreed, rolling onto his back next to her to catch his breath. 

"Good. Glad we agree." Julie tucked herself into his side again and snuggled into his chest as he wrapped his arm around her once again. 

Luke stared at the ceiling of his camper shell for a long time, thinking things over. Finally, Julie asked, "Are you okay with taking this slow?" 

He nodded. "Yeah." 

She sat up. "I mean super slow. Like, glaciers will look like cheetahs compared to us." 

Luke sat up on his elbows. "Again, yeah." 

She scrunched her nose, not quite believing him. "Luke, I'm serious. I mean-" 

He sat up all the way and cupped her face again, effectively shutting her up. "Julie, we don't have to do anything until after we get married, okay?" He pressed his forehead to hers and closed his eyes. "I love you, not just your body. And I want you, not just what everyone says you have to give me. If you're in, I'm in. That's all there is to it." 

Julie pressed a kiss to his cheek, then pulled him into another hug. "Married?" she asked, a smile in her voice. 

He scoffed. "You honestly think I'm letting you go after all this? God Himself is the only one who could tear me away from you now."

She hugged him tighter. "Right answer." 

They stayed up and watched the sunrise together, the pinks and oranges and yellows an almost perfect reflection of the dawn where this part of their story truly began. 

Just as the sun peeked over the horizon, she brushed her lips against his ear and said, "Oh, and I love you too." 

When Luke dropped Julie off at her apartment a few hours later, he couldn't stop smiling as he letting her out of the truck. 

He rolled down his window and watched her walk toward her building, when a thought struck him. “Hey, Jules?” 

She stopped and turned around. “Yes?” 

“Why does Nick hate me so much?” 

She giggled. “You seriously don’t know?” 

“No idea.” 

A mischievous smile lit right into her eyes. “He hated playing second fiddle to you. Sports, music, grades, you name it, he was ‘Mr. Second Best.’ You were always just a little faster, a little better, a little smarter.” 

“Seriously? That was his big hang up?” 

Julie rolled her eyes. “Figures you’d be literally the only person who didn’t notice. Ask Alex and Reggie, they’ll say the exact same thing.” 

“Nah. Doesn’t really matter now.”

Julie’s smile fell. "Hey, Luke?" 

"Hm?"

She hesitated. 

"Julie? It's okay, whatever it is." 

"I don't want to sound like a jerk, but would it be okay if we kept the labels off this for a while? Just until we're absolutely sure this isn't some kind of rebound high?" 

That was fair. They had both only been single for a grand total of three and a half days. Jumping into a new relationship that soon would be very unwise. "Sounds like a plan." 

Her eyes widened. "Really?" 

"Of course." 

Her shoulders and face relaxed in relief. "Good." She sent him a small wave. "I'll see you soon."

Not yet. "But for the record," he added quickly, "I don't think this is just a rebound high." 

Julie grinned and surged forward, boosting herself on his running board. She slipped her hand around the back of his neck and pulled his lips to hers in a dizzying kiss as sweet and peaceful as it was wild and passionate. 

"Neither do I," she whispered against his lips before ducking away and running to her apartment. 

Luke sat in his idling truck for a few minutes, basking in each joyful pulse of his filled-to-bursting heart. 

Julie loved him. And he loved her. And they were taking it slow and doing things on their own time. 

Last night was the wildest ride Luke had ever been on, and as he pulled away and headed toward his own apartment a few blocks down, he knew that the adventure had only just begun. The morning around him glowed clear and beautiful, and he had to laugh, because as bright as that day would likely be, even brighter days were on their way.


End file.
